


Fate is a Red thread

by Dracosalive (livesybaby)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Eventual Smut, First Time, Friends to Lovers, Hogwarts Era, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Sectumsempra Scars (Harry Potter), Sectumsempra Scene | Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter's Duel in the Bathroom, Soulbonds, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, soulbonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:02:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28885068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livesybaby/pseuds/Dracosalive
Summary: “The boy bears the mark of a mate, something rare in these trying times. He will eventually be led to his soulmate, each scar coming from a place of pain for the one who holds the other end of the red thread of fate”-*-*-*-TRIGGER WARNINGS:* Child abuse is mentioned/implied. This is physical abuse between a parent and child, no sexual abuse.* Talks and descriptions of scarring and blemishes, not romanticised.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Theodore Nott
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	Fate is a Red thread

**Author's Note:**

> Just to remind you that the following warnings apply to this fic, please stay safe. 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS:  
> * Child abuse is mentioned/implied. This is physical abuse between a parent and child, no sexual abuse.  
> * Talks and descriptions of scarring and blemishes, not romanticised.

Narcissa Malfoy first noticed the blemishes on Draco’s usually alabaster skin when he was just a boy, sometimes they’d be reddened patches like he’d been grabbed too harshly, sometimes they’d form welts and even full on bruises. She refused to believe that her husband would lay a hand on their six year old, let alone one of their elves and so when Draco reached eight years old with no change she sent for the head of magical children at St. Mungo’s. When he failed to come up with an explanation she sent owl post to the top professors in magical maladies all across the world. By the time Draco was ten years old she was reaching the end of her tether, he would go away to Hogwarts in a year and what would the board of magical education think if her son arrived black and blue? She refused to allow anyone to think that Draco Malfoy was anything less than a pampered prince.

Abraxas and Narcissa had never really seen eye-to-eye, even though her Father-in-law had approved the marriage between the Malfoy and Black families, he still looked down his nose at Narcissa. The only eligible daughter left of the Black heir after one had disgraced herself by eloping with a mudblood and the other had descended into lunacy and then Azkaban. Still, when Draco’s Hogwarts letter arrived she realised she had run out of options and took her husbands advice to visit the ageing wizard, to ask his advice and hope the elderly man could provide answers no one else could.

Through Abraxas’ recommendation Narcissa found herself and her son accompanied by Lucius as he escorted them down Knockturn Alley. It was an undesirable place that she daren’t visit alone, especially with her young, curious son in tow. The narrow entryway three shops down from the dark artefacts shop wasn’t signposted and if she hadn’t been looking out for it Narcissa probably wouldn’t have noticed it at all.

The inside of the shack had wards circling it that touched onto Narcissa’s magical core as she moved further into the room. There was clearly a modified silencing spell that blocked out the hum of noise outside, Draco edged closer to her as they followed Lucius to the far side of the cluttered room where the old hag sat, seemingly expecting them. The shop itself was layered in a cloud of dust that made Draco splutter messily into the sleeve of his cloak, Narcissa looked around warily as Lucius struck up a quiet conversation with the crone who barely even glanced up at the family.

**_“The boy bears the mark of a mate, something rare in these trying times. He will eventually be led to his soulmate, each scar coming from a place of pain for the one who holds the other end of the red thread of fate”_ **

That night Narcissa stayed up into the early hours searching through the antique tomes in the family library to locate any history of the soulmate tale that had been recorded over the centuries. While the idea of Draco having a destined love match was beautiful in itself, she couldn’t help but worry for the marks that repeatedly appeared on his skin.

Each time Draco’s soulmate would get an injury, Draco would receive the twin mark although his luckily didn’t come accompanied with pain. When they scarred he was left with unsightly silver marks which he hadn’t been too delighted with, but it was something he’d deal with because his Father assured him a soulmate bond was a rare and great thing, something most of the other children at Hogwarts would have, that thought kept him smiling on the platform as they waited for the train to begin boarding.

He looked around wondering if his soulmate was there right now, and if he’d be able to recognise them. All he knew was that they were clumsy and reckless, maybe both and he deeply hoped they weren’t a Hufflepuff, or worse… a Weasley. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to face his father's disappointment should he return home with a stray ginger following his every move.

_-_

By sixth year, Draco wasn’t really thinking of the soulmate theory any more - sure, he still got the marks and still grumbled each time a new one would blemish his perfect skin but he was almost certain they weren’t in Hogwarts, surely he’d have noticed someone constantly limping by now? So instead he ignored the bruises mostly, only vaguely wondering if his soulmate was curious about his identity or if they’d spent their entire lives not knowing why random marks would appear on their body. Draco placated himself with the fact that he was a poised, classy gentleman who didn’t tend to fall on his arse twelve times a day, so his soulmate wouldn’t end up with many bruises to show for it anyway.

It was Potter that finally cracked the code, not that Draco had asked him to stick his annoying beak into his business, and not that Potter had intentionally set out to help him at all, in fact Draco was rather certain Potter meant to murder him and leave him for dead in Myrtle’s bathroom had Snape not shown up in record time. He didn’t remember much other than the quick slash of Potter’s wand, the splash of water as his back slammed onto the floor tiles and the broken gasp that escaped his lungs when he lifted his crimson hands from his blood stained chest.

Draco was certain he’d die in that filthy bathroom, he could vaguely recognise two voices in the near background and wondered if Potter had dragged Weasley along to laugh at his demise. Then his Godfather was kneeling over his trembling form and chanting a counter-curse that Draco had never heard before and didn’t have the faculties to remember right at that moment. His final thoughts when he drifted out of consciousness was whether his soulmate would feel pain as their red thread snapped and Draco passed over the veil.

-

It was four days before Draco woke up in the infirmary and a further three before he was well enough to be escorted back down to the Slytherin dorms. He was irritated to hear that yet again Prince Potter had escaped any form of penalty, even more annoyed that he now sported a large raised scar on his abdomen, jagged from his trouser-line upwards and reaching past his collar where it split into a fork at his jaw.

“Well, there goes the dream of modelling for Playwizard” Draco mumbled bitterly to himself as he stood shirtless in the mirror of his dorm, assessing the damage.

“So that’s what Potter did then?” Came a quieter voice from one of the bed curtains on the far side of the room

Draco spun around, wrenching his shirt from the back of a desk chair and furiously trying to wrap it over himself

“For fucks sake, Nott” he grunted, still stiff with his movements “You could have at least warned me you were here”

“Don’t hide on my account”

“It’s not really a battle scar I want to show off”

Ignoring his reluctance to entertain, Theo took a hesitant step forward as he watched Draco’s reaction in the mirror reflection.

“There’s something I need to tell you”

“Save it” Draco muttered “If it’s the fact that Potter has kept his status as Golden boy once again then I already know”

“You’re going to be furious with me” He carried on, as though Draco hadn’t spoken at all “But this isn’t something I’m going to be able to keep from you any more, not after what happened”

Draco frowned, turning to face Theo again whose cloak was uncharacteristically wrapped around his lithe frame.

“You’ll think I’m a coward, and all sorts of things I’m sure but know that I didn’t hide this from you out of spite.. I just, I wasn’t ready yet and-…”

“Theo, what’s going on?”

The brunette locked eyes with him hesitantly, looking up from the space on the floor that had held his attention for so long. It was then that Draco could clearly see the forked silvery blemish curving around his clear cut jawline and then Theo was wordlessly unfastening his cloak and tossing it to the side so Draco could see the full extent of his bare torso, the sectumsempra tainting his sun-starved skin and the myriad of scars littering his body that mirrored Draco’s so perfectly.

“Its you” Draco stated dumbly “It was you all along”

“I know you’re angry with me, and you have every right to be-…”

“You knew” Draco shook his head with a frown “You were one of the first people I told, you knew all this time?”

“Draco, you don’t understand.. I couldn’t just-…”

“So what was it?” Draco cut him off, swallowing the bitter taste in his mouth “Scared what that lot would think of a pureblood who likes blokes, or was it more personal? Just couldn’t stand the idea of it being me?”

“It’s not like that at all-…”

“Please, don’t spare my feelings Theodore” Draco huffed, running a hand through his hair exasperatedly “I’m a big boy, I can handle it-…”

“I’ve known I was gay since before I met you, believe me when I say it doesn’t phase me nearly as much as it used to-..”

“So it’s just me then? What was it? The fact that witches throw themselves at me because I’ve got a decent inheritance and you don’t need that, not with your own waiting for you - did the interest wear off when you realise I’ve nothing else of note to offer you?”

“Stop being so fucking stupid-..” Theo growled, stepping forward and shaking him out of his frantic talking “There’s nothing wrong with you, you great blonde prat!”

“Then why, Theo?” Draco blurted brokenly “Why would you keep this from me for so long?”

Theo sighed, looking off to the side as though the far wall would hold answers he couldn’t bear to utter.

“You can tell me” Draco sighed, hesitantly stroking his palm down the other boys arm “I won’t be mad, I’m just.. I’m just confused right now”

“I was scared you’d ask questions I didn’t have the answers to.. didn’t want to give you, not yet.. I wasn’t ready to explain..” Theo breathed, chewing on his lower lip as he lifted his arms, giving a better view of some of the older scars that covered his body.

“I figured you were a clumsy bastard”

“and this?” Theo asked, turning to show off the three long stripes across his spine “I didn’t exactly walk into a door, Draco”

Draco stepped forwards, running his fingers lightly over the angry red scars. He’d received them before he started Hogwarts and his Mother had been horrified when they appeared in such an unexplainable place.

“I’ve never seen them up close” Draco murmured, tracing them softly and relishing in the raised goosebumps on Theo’s unblemished skin “Mother was beside herself when she saw them, thought I’d got myself attacked by a cursed artefact in the far wing of the manor.. couldn’t explain them otherwise”

“I’ve never shown them to anyone” Theo admitted “The only thing I can’t explain away with something believable”

“So.. what was it?” Draco asked carefully, flattening his palm against his back in a comforting manner “A werewolf?” He guessed, his mind flicking through the countless books he’d read and wondering how difficult it would be to spend his life with someone suffering Lycanthropy.

Theo shook his head “Just a wizard”

“A wizard did this to you?” Draco frowned, letting his hand slip to his waist as he tugged him to turn around “Theo, what are you talking about?”

“I was a really clumsy kid” Theo laughed bitterly “Walked into my Father’s temper all the time”

“Y-Your Mother?” The Nott’s were a private family, and one of the only Sacred 28 bloodlines that Draco could say he truly didn’t know anything about

“Dead” Theo swallowed thickly, averting his eyes “I watched him do it, I was four”

With no comforting words waiting to make everything seem better, Draco took the initiative to pull the other boy into his arms. Draco wasn’t a hugger, hadn’t really been affectionate with anyone else in his life at all but somehow the feel of Theo’s face pressed into his neck, his arms tangled around him, felt right.

“You aren’t going back there” Draco mumbled into his hair, at a loss for what else to say

“I have to-…”

“No, no you don’t” Draco said firmly, pulling him back slightly but still cradling him in his arms “No one deserves that, especially you.. and whether you like it or not, you’re mine to protect.. fate says so”

Theo didn’t say anything further, instead rested his head on Draco’s shoulder and let him stroke his arms up and down his spine, tantalizing his senses.

-

By the time Draco returned home for end of term with Theo in tow, the Malfoy family had heard all about the fated boy who shared their sons heart. The boys chose not to question the interaction Lucius Malfoy had with Tiberius Nott, instead thankful that somehow the elderly Death Eater had agreed for his only son to live at Malfoy Manor indefinitely, or at least until his inheritance came through and he could choose his next path.

“I can’t believe your Mother has us sharing a room” Theo sniggered, kicking his shoes off as Draco locked and warded the door behind them.

“We’re as good as married, Nott” Draco tutted “and don’t act like you’re not partial to a little cuddle every now and then”

Theo bit back a smile as the blonde leaned towards him and stole a chaste kiss, something they were both more comfortable with now after a few months getting used to each other as something more than dorm mates.

Theo remembered their first kiss, how fucking nervous he’d been and how though Draco had experimented with Slytherin witches it was Theo’s first time with anybody, the first time he’d allowed another person to get into his personal space at all.

Theo had been hesitant and shy, glad when Draco had taken him in his arms and taken control - nipping the flesh of his lower lip between his straight, white teeth and drawing a soft moan from the inexperienced boy who went with the flow, parting his lips and sighing as Draco’s tongue stroked his for the first time.

Now they were comfortable, lay in Draco’s magically extended bed - Theo’s head resting over his heart and listening to the soothing beat, their fingers intertwined, palms resting over Draco’s taut stomach as the blonde’s other hand stroked through Theo’s unruly hair absently.

“It’s different to how I imagined it” Draco murmured into the quiet

“How so?”

“I half expected an arranged marriage situation, some random witch with tied to me and my inheritance, nothing in common except the scars on our bodies”

“and now?”

Draco was silent for a beat before he nudged the other boy to lie on his side, turning to face him “It’s better than I ever dreamt” he admitted, stroking his fingers along the slight stubble of Theo’s jawline “You’re not just some wizard who shares a part of me… you are part of me.. I can feel you-..” he pulled Theo’s palm to rest over his heart “..-here, all the time.. does that sound strange?”

“It sounds perfect” Theo murmured against his lips, before using his mouth to explain everything his words couldn’t.

-

“I don’t want to wait”

Draco looked up at his love curiously as he nervously looked down at where he lay with his head in his lap, fingers carding through his hair.

“It was your idea to wait until the wedding for consummation”

“Don’t call it that, Draco” Theo sighed “It’s more than that, consummation makes it sound so… formal.. so planned”

It was a mere two months since they’d graduated Hogwarts and though things in the wizarding world had changed drastically, their love had upheld itself all the way through the turbulence and now they were weeks away from the wedding that would bind them together forever.

“You know that I’ll do whatever makes you happy, love” Draco tugged his fingertips to his mouth, pressing a delicate kiss to each knuckle “I thought you wanted to wait, it’s tradition after all?”

“I hate the thought that when we’re together for the first time, everyone will know about it.. they’ll expect it.. it won’t feel like it’s just ours.. and I don’t want to share that part of us with anyone.. I want it to be special”

Draco sat up on the bed, laying the tomes they were reading on the bedside table and pushing his fingers through Theo’s hair softly.

“Are you sure this is what you want?”

“I want you, Draco” Theo leaned against his hand “That’s all that matters”

“You have me” Draco mumbled, pressing their lips together softly “You have me”

Neither man had any experience with the same sex, both going off what they knew about their own bodies as they curiously undressed each other and stroked their wandering hands over parts they’d kept covered until now.

“Merlin, you’re bloody gorgeous” Draco growled into Theo’s neck as his thumb grazed over the dusky blush of his hardened nipple.

Theo’s hands found purchase on the boyish curve of Draco’s hipbones, tugging him wantonly against him as their lower halves ground together deliciously.

“C-Can I-…” Theo murmured, feathering his fingers down towards his fiance’s erection in askance

“You can do anything you want” Draco encouraged, covering his hand with his own and pushing down harder until the brunette wrapped his large palm around the velvety skin, sliding up and down with ease “Ngh!-..”

“Thought about this for so long” Theo admitted, using his knee to nudge Draco onto his back and sliding down his body until he came face level with his leaking crown “Thought how you’d feel, how you’d taste-…”

“Theo-..ohh” Draco sighed, letting his legs flop to the sides as Theo settled between them and fit his hot, wet mouth around the slick tip of his cock “Fuck Theo-.. feels so good-..”

Draco whined as Theo’s tongue flicked around the sensitive head, coating his tongue in the tangy essence he’d been dying to taste for so long now. His fingers squeezed together as he fisted the brunette locks that drove him crazy, trying desperately not to buck his hips into the enticing heat of his throat.

Draco stopped Theo’s oral assault a lot quicker than he’d have liked in favour of holding back for what was supposed to be the most important night of their bonding so far, tugging roughly until Theo’s spit-slick lips were pressed against his own and he could use his legs to flip their positions, biting down on the flesh of his lower lip as he twisted his palm skilfully around his cock.

“Draco-.. need you-..”

It was all the words Draco had needed to hear before he blindly reached for his wand and cast the relevant spells to ease Theo’s body into the experience.

Theo groaned as he felt the slickness softening his channel, the warmth coating Draco’s fingers as he circled his pucker and thrust two roughly into his virgin hole. Though the magic would work well enough to effortlessly open Theo up, Draco couldn’t pass up the opportunity to feel his way around his untouched hole for himself for the first time. He wasted no time in locating the elusive bundle of nerves, sweeping his fingers over his prostate repeatedly until Theo’s legs were jelly-like and he was whimpering and whining as he rocked himself on Draco’s hand.

“You want to come like this?” Draco asked as Theo squeezed his eyes shut, writhing his body uncontrollably “You want to come from my fingers, or shall I stretch your beautiful body with my cock, huh?”

“Please Draco” Theo groaned, his dark, lust-filled eyes shooting open “Fuck me, Fuck me-..”

The both gasped as the swollen head of Draco’s already thick cock breached the rim, sinking inside Theo’s slick heat as the men knotted their fingers together above Theo’s head. Draco was slow, rocking backwards and forwards inch by inch until his hips met the underside of his lovers thighs. He let one hand loose as he squeezed Theo’s neglected erection, spilling a stream of pre-cum over his belly as Theo’s arse clenched and Draco’s entire body shuddered.

He began pumping his fist in time with the controlled thrusts he was treating Theo’s innocence to, the man in question had his head thrown back, throat exposed tantalisingly as his man brought them both closer and closer to climax.

“Fuck Theo, so good-.. so tight-..” Draco groaned, picking up speed as his rhythm began to stutter

The glow was unexpected and for a moment Theo thought he was hallucinating until Draco’s lips parted with a gasp and their magic touched each other, cores intertwining for the first time - releasing a strong tremor through their joined bodies as the light around the room flickered and a warmth washed over their bodies.

Theo was the first to break, a deep and strangled moan ripping from his throat as he coated his belly and Draco’s hand with white hot ejaculate, his hole fluttering deliciously around Draco’s cock as he milked the blonde so thoroughly he couldn’t help but collapse onto his chest, coating them both in each other as they came down from a glorious high.

-

The wedding had been a formality, a chance for the rest of wizarding society to celebrate their union publicly in hopes of making the Daily Prophet come Monday morning but for Draco and Theodore Malfoy their souls had been merged into one long before they’d joined hands with pretty ribbons and spoke scripted words in front of a crowd.


End file.
